Anxiety
by AnHPsuperfan
Summary: This fic is exactly about its title. I think this should be talked about. Lots of people have it. And why not the Wizarding World’s hero? Series of one-shots. Includes Hermione, Ron, Neville and Ginny.
1. Anxiety

**A/N:** Welcome to my new fic! This is very different than my first fic but I felt like I should post it. I think anxiety is one taboo theme that should be discussed. Hope you enjoy and please leave a review. I really want to know what you think. Also, credits to In My Blood, a song from Shawn Mendes which kind of helped me write this.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter.

\- Hey, another shot here!! – Seamus yelled to the busy waitress passing their corner.

It had started as a small gathering with Ginny and Harry, Ron and Hermione and their friend Luna, who returned from one of her many travels. But then Hannah and Neville had a break from working at the bar and had joined them, and just an hour ago Seamus and Dean passed through the door and found them there.

So now it was a full gathering of friends on the Three Broomsticks and there were a lot of people talking at the same time, smiling faces and laughter amplified by the big amount of empty bottles on the table.

Harry had been having and awesome time, looking at Ginny's smiling face and his cheeks hurting of laughing so hard with his friends.

So he was surprised when it crept on him out of nowhere. Or maybe not so much surprised. It wasn't the first time it happened.

And the frustrating thing is that it happened in these laidback moments. He had no reason to be thinking that now. He didn't have to worry about that.

But still this thoughts still took a tight hold of him. The thought that maybe his constant efforts of catching dark wizards weren't enough. That maybe their count was wrong and there were more dark wizards on the run.

And he started to look at the doors and all the windows. And subconsciously got closer to Ginny. He just had the will to take her straight home already.

But of course he didn't. He wasn't about to show the others his worries. He kept a forced smile on his face, not even paying attention to what everyone was saying, their voices a bare humming on his ears. He was too concentrated on the thousand thoughts running through his mind.

And he wouldn't let anyone know what he was thinking. Because he knew that they would surely say there was nothing to worry about. All the facts and reason were pointing to that. And he should know that too. Because it was true. But he didn't choose which thoughts took over his mind. And it felt like he had no power over them.

So he took another sip of his beer to concentrate on something else and took a deep breath. It relaxed him a little. But soon his mind went to the same place without his permission. He wanted to get it over with and just go home with Ginny, so that everyone would do the same and he didn't have to worry about it anymore. But everyone was so happy and he would just ruin a perfectly good evening over nothing.

Cause it isn't the first time these thoughts took over his mind and nothing had actually happened just because he was thinking them. So why would this time be any different? It wouldn't. But what if he should do something? Just to be sure. And it was like a boomerang in his mind, his thoughts going away and coming back to the same place.

The lack of control almost drove him crazy. It was his mind, damn it! And he didn't want it to go this way. He tried to argue with it, but it seemed more and more like he didn't know what side the arguments were for. Would he let his imagination take over or would he think rationally? It seemed like he wasn't the one to decide.

He felt Ginny's hand on his thigh and he knew that she knew what was happening. It wasn't only one conversation they had had about it. It was very good. It relaxed him a bit and he was able to put the thoughts to the side, just to remain there, like an itch but one that allowed him to enjoy the evening.

After half an hour, they decided it was time to go home and all was solved. He arrived home with Ginny and got ready for bed, ignoring the subject. As they lay there before sleeping, she asked – Everything okay? – and he said – Yeah.

Because it was. She understood and didn't try to give him rational arguments that wouldn't help or just went with what he said. She was just there for him. And that was enough.


	2. Part 2: Hermione

**Part 2: Hermione**

 **A/N.:** Just had an idea for this one shot, which I think fits the title of this fic. So I made it as a Part 2. Please let me know what you think and if I should write more of these with other characters. Thanks for reading!

Hermione giddily entered into the shower. Ron and her had waited a lot for tonight. They had agreed a few days ago it was time to consummate their relationship, both feeling like there was no other person they would like to get this intimate with. Their busy schedules and their work hadn't helped though, and it had been almost a week since the couple hoped to get home wanting to do more than sleep when getting in bed.

So it was a pleasurable surprise for Hermione when she came home late, after a full day of work, to find Ron waiting in their bedroom with candles and the cliched bed full of flowers. "I'm done waiting, Mione." was all he said before Hermione jumped into the shower to get ready for their special night.

Her mind was in the bedroom beside the bathroom while she quickly washed her legs, her feet, her chest, her left arm...

She stopped there, her eyes going to the scar marring her skin. It wasn't an unfamiliar sight, she saw it every day. Not during the day though. The young witch adopted the new habit of wearing mostly long sleeves two years ago. When the hated word wasn't covered by clothes, there was a thick layer of muggle makeup covering it from view. But now... Now she couldn't put some cream over it, it was sure to get whipped off by their frantic activities.

Although it was only Ron who would see it. He knew more than anyone she cared that mark with her. "Yeah," another voice in her mind said "but you always hide it from his sight as well." Hermione shook her head to dispel these thoughts and rubbed her arm just a bit harder, laughing at herself right after. "What are you thinking, Hermione? It's a scar, not a bit of dirt."

She took the shampoo bottle and washed her hair. Then hesitated before applying some of the product on her left arm and rubbing again until it formed a layer of foam. As it washed away, the letters appeared again. "Come on" she thought, frustrated. "think logically!" And inclined her head back to rinse her hair.

She closed her eyes, relaxed, when she saw it: Staring at her were black cruel eyes, a tall elegant ceiling behind it belonged to a huge mansion she recognized too well. In her arm, the sting of a cold knife, held by an even colder witch and a disgusting laughter echoing in her ears.

She opened her eyes, scared. The water of the shower now mixed with salty tears. Her hand went straight to the sponge, only used by Ron, and rubbed her arm. Three, five, nine times. Her skin was already red, but nothing changed in the hateful word staring at her. Judging her. 8 letters that carried so much weight. Mudblood. Written in simple and small handwriting, that just seemed to get bigger the more she looked at it. Mudblood. Each syllable echoing on her head in a crazed woman's voice. Mudblood...

The soap she didn't even realize she had been using again slipped from her hand. Hermione almost went with it when she suddenly startled by the door opening. One second later, the shower curtains were pulled back and, in front of her, stood a naked Ron. That detail barely passed her mind though, so busy with other thoughts.

He reached for the tap and closed the shower. "Ron" she said, ready to explain herself. "I know" he says. She looks into the most understanding tones of blue in his eyes. His hand meets hers. " I know all of you, Hermione, and I love you." His mouth encompassed hers in an intense kiss.

The next place he kissed was her left arm.

And she felt clean again.


	3. Part 3: Ron

**A/N.:** This third part is about our well-known red-head. Before you read this, I just want to make it clear that I'm fortunate to not having any experience of a war or its effect on people. This is only a work of fiction and I don't intend to offend anyone.

Anxiety, though, is a theme that lots of us can identify ourselves with and I imagine Ron would respond to it with anger. What do you think? Please, leave your opinion and enjoy!

\- Alright, so...We had just passed the venomous wall of thorns and gone through a narrow corridor, when we came face to face with... Believe me! A whole hoard of acromantulas!! And, I'm not kidding, they had at least 4 feet!

\- And you gave up because of that?! Come on, it's unbelievable that a team of fully capable wizards couldn't pass through some spiders. – Hermione exclaimed indignantly to the living room at the Burrow full of Weasleys family members (including Harry, sat at the couch with her and Ron, Ginny leaning against his legs) who listened rapidly to Bill's latest curse hunter expedition.

\- You weren't there! – Bill tried to protest through his brothers' laughter – There were at least 50 of them, with giant fangs!

Hermione continued to look skeptically at him.

\- What would you three do, then? – he asked the trio sat at the couch – At the first sight of the spiders Ron would be already out of the cave!

It was all in good fun but the red-head in question blanched. He only could think to protest:

\- No, I wouldn't!

\- Of course you would! – George said, the brothers cracking up again, clearly taking all as a joke.

Ron could feel it. His blood burning, the color rising to his cheeks. He was beyond angry, wouldn't put it past him to overturn the small center table, crashing everything in it. Just so they would LISTEN, they'd understand that this wasn't funny. He would never leave his friends in trouble.

 _Not again._

That was it. He wasn't mad because his brothers were taking the piss of him. It's what brothers do. He himself had lost the count of times he was the one laughing at one of them.

But it wasn't a laughing matter to him. He tried not to think about this betrayal. Didn't talk about it with anyone, though sometimes he wanted to apologize to his two oldest friends a million times...

The Weasleys couldn't know since Harry and Hermione were so forgiving they didn't even tell anyone (except maybe Ginny, who Harry told everything to). But he had abandoned them. Abandoned them in a time when they were in trouble and needed him the most. Hunting those blasted Horcruxes! He abandoned his best mate and the woman he loved in the middle of the woods, with the weight of the world on their shoulders.

 _Pathetic! Everyone knows you are a traitor to your friends. Even your own family thinks that_

A persistent voice in his mind kept saying.

A voice that sounded suspiciously like hissing.

\- Ron! – someone shook his shoulder. He became aware of the room again, not filled with loud laughter, but with everyone looking at him, Hermione holding his hand and shoulder, Harry looking worried.

He shook off his friends and stormed to the kitchen, Hermione calling to his back.

This time he did grab the cup on the table and threw it against the wall, smashing it in raining glass. It did nothing to diminish his anger, as he leant in the counter huffing.

\- Ok, Ron, you'll tell me right now what is wrong with you! – Hermione demanded, entering the kitchen.

\- Yeah, mate. What happened? – Harry asked by her side.

\- How could you just accept it! – Ron turned to them.

\- What are you talking about? – asked the witch.

\- I bailed on you! Right in the middle of the woods and you just pretend like it didn't happen!! – he shouted. Harry had thought ahead and put a silencing spell on the room, but he didn't care at the moment if the whole world heard it.

\- That's what this is about? – his black-haired friend asked.

\- Of course it is! How can you laugh at what they said? Aren't you afraid I'm gonna do something like this again? How can you trust me?

\- Because it is a laughing matter. – Hermione said softly, approaching him. – What happened during the war was a mistake, something we all did at some point. – Harry nodded at this. – And friendship is all about this, forgiving our mistakes and accepting ourselves.

\- That didn't answer my question. – Ron looked down.

\- Of course I trust you, you git! – Hermione laughed wetly, her eyes shining – I accepted to marry you! – she showed the silver ring in her finger. – And I wouldn't have done that if I didn't trust you the most in the world.

She threw her arms around his neck. Above his shoulder, he looked at his other friend, a question in his eyes.

\- Mate, Bill's theory was already flawed. We did face a much bigger hoard of acromantulas together. Can't get much more loyal than that.

Ron's anger dissipated, lost in the comforting arms of his best friends. Where his loyalty always lays.


	4. Part 4: Neville

Hi everyone!! Sorry for the long wait. I was looking for inspiration on who my next chapter would be about. As it turns out, I decided to do it about Neville. He is one character whose role in the war many of us underestimate. This time, I didn't write such na introspective chapter and more dialogues. Anxiety sometimes is not something we are aware about in ourselves. Also, our dear professor Macgonagall appears too cause I think she cares for her students much more than she shows. Please, leave your thoughts below and Enjoy!:)

Neville roamed the corridors of Hogwarts in complete peace after a full day of classes. It was a starry evening and the whole population of students was condensed in the Great Hall enjoying dinner. Or so he thought, when he heard young voices and laughter.

\- What were you saying again, Billy? – someone taunted.

More laughter.

\- Please stop! – another voice begged.

\- Are you or are you not gonna say what Lisa told you of us in class? We can always loosen your tongue a bit with our wands. – a third voice joined in, laughing.

Neville entered in panic mode. He had to find these students quickly. The young professor could already see. Two bullies, evil smirks on their faces, pointing their wands on a third defenseless boy, the torture curse on their tongue.

Neville ran through the corridor, opening every classroom door, until the fourth one wasn't empty.

\- Give me your wands right now and stay quiet!!

The two students, a Ravenclaw and a Hufflepuff, pointing their wands to a blond Ravenclaw on the floor widened their eyes at him, caught in their evil acts.

\- We... – the Ravenclaw holding the wand stammered.

\- I said quiet!! – Neville yelled. He thought he saw their wands shaking but he couldn't care less. They _should_ be afraid. Just like they made their Ravenclaw classmate on the floor feel like.

\- Are you okay, Billy? – he asked the hurt student, his priority.

The young boy blushed:

\- Professor, I'm fine. We were just joking, really. Matt and Andrews were mocking me as friends.

Neville frowned and looked him straight in the eyes. He'd seen excuses like that way too often in his seventh year.

\- You don't have to lie for them, Mr. Thompson. You can be sure they will never raise a wand at you again.

\- It's not... – the boy seemed ashamed, something Neville knew all too well.

\- Professor, it was just a tickling jinx! – the Hufflepuff spoke up.

\- We weren't hurting him, he's our friend. – the other boy joined in.

\- Enough!! – Neville raised his voice again and the two armed students stopped talking immediately.

\- Give me your wands right now, Mr. Calvins and Mr. Brennan! – Neville yelled again, and they obeyed – Seventy points from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. And two months of detention for both of you! I'll talk to your Heads of Houses about it tomorrow. Now go!

The two boys hurried out of the classroom, leaving Billy to stare at him, worried. Neville cleared his throat.

\- Sorry, Billy. Do you want me to take you to the Hospital Wing or you can walk there?

\- I... – Billy started to say something, but nodded. – I'll be going.

And Neville stayed alone, just then leaning on the wall and releasing a breath.

An hour later, he received a note to go to the Headmistress office and climbed the circular staircase, very curious. He knocked at the door and heard a familiar "Come in!".

Behind the imposing desk stood his old Transfiguration Professor, writing some letters and completely at home in the office that she took so much time to get used to.

\- You wanted to see me, Headmistress?

She looked at him pointedly over her glasses:

\- Haven't I told you to call me Minerva before? Have a seat, Neville.

The man himself rubbed his neck and seated in front of the serious old lady, feeling too much a student again.

\- Tea? – the Headmistress offered.

\- Yes, please.

Neville sipped his tea, looking at her worriedly. Had he done something wrong lately? Was he getting fired?

Minerva sighed:

\- So, I heard you put two students in detention today.

The young wizard almost spit his biscuit out. That was what this was about?

\- They were threatening another student, Professor!

\- I know. – she nodded. – With a tickling jinx.

\- We don't know that! – he protested.

\- Their stories all match.

\- Mr. Thompson could be lying!

\- Mr. Thompson was examined by Madame Pomfrey and is completely fine.

Neville shook his head:

\- It doesn't matter! We don't know what could have happened if I didn't intervene.

\- Indeed. – Professor Macgonagall said. – And a few years back this could be worrying – she stared at him behind her glasses. – but now , not so much.

Neville didn't understand anything. How could she not be worried that a student could have been cursed. How many times had he heard the screams that followed a curse. The bruises that had to be healed later. Which Susan and Hannah would have to do because Madame Pomfrey couldn't help them... No, he had to do something! Even if it meant taking the curse himself. The Carrows wouldn't...

He looked up with the sudden realization. This wasn't happening on the here and now. It was his mind remembering a time long past.

Minerva had such a compassionate look on her face he was ashamed to feel tears in his eyes and looked away.

He felt her weathered hand in his.

\- You don't understand. – he said, shakily – How can I be sure this won't happen again and I could have prevented someone else from getting hurt?

\- You won't be sure.

He looked at her and Minerva continued.

\- But you're not a student anymore and Hogwarts is safe again. You _can_ prevent it from happening. As long as you keep being this wonderful example to them. Not the one of tonight. – Neville blushed – They don't need that Professor Longbottom. You don't need to be that person anymore, Neville. – she said, almost sadly. – They need the kind, fair Professor they look up to every day.

Neville dried his eyes with his hand and looked up.

\- Then that's who I will be. – he said categorically – I'll solve the issue with the boys now.

\- Neville? – Professor Macgonagall said as he was getting up.

\- Yes, Professor?

\- Biscuits? – she offered a pot. He laughed, feeling the most carefree he had in his last two years as a teacher.

No more Carrows, hiding or tortures at Hogwarts. Just tickling jinxes from now on.


	5. Part 5: Ginny

**A/N.:** Part 5 is here!! This one is about Ginny and her experience in the Chamber Of Secrets. Even though she's a fierce character, she has fears like everyone but I imagine she would be the kind of person to face them straight on. Please tell me what you think of Ginny and this story. Do you also think she would act this way? Feel free to share your thoughts and your story with anxiety, if you have one. Have a good read!!

\- Are you sure about this? – Harry asked, his hand firmly in hers.

\- No. That's why I need you to drag me along. – Harry didn't laugh at Ginny's normally sarcastic comment. Because it wasn't. He could probably see clearly in her body, from her tense shoulders to her slightly widened eyes.

The decision _had_ been hers, though. In the sunlit Saturday , of the current weekend, when the first Quidditch game of the season had taken place. Her and Harry had been together in their favorite spot under the tree, a little far from the castle. Her boyfriend being there, courtesy of Macgonagall's softer and romantic side. The bird's chirping only interrupted by their talking in a rare moment of solitude when the rest of Hogwarts was partying in Gryffindor Common Room.

Harry had been talking about his Auror training when Ginny voiced her nagging thought.

\- I wanna go there!

\- Where? – Harry stilled the hand playing with her hair.

\- The Chamber. – Ginny almost whispered.

It was a common subject of their letters Ginny's irrational terror of even passing the girl's bathroom that was home to the Chamber of Secrets. It wasn't something recent though. It had been there since her second year, causing her to take shortcuts to avoid that path, or sometimes running late to a class. Even lying to her friends so she could turn to other corridors. She just decided not to think about it since it wasn't her intention to tell anyone about it either.

But she told Harry. This year, when their love was very much strong and she trusted him the most. It was by letter, though. The courage to tell him face to face escaped her. But it was no mean feat, to let someone see her weaknesses and talk about it. And talk they did, through various letters. Harry was a wonderful listener and knew exactly what to say so she didn't feel like the frightened little girl she once was.

Due to all his encouragement, since last week, an idea came to her mind: To no longer depend on shortcuts and detours. And what other way to eliminate her fear of passing through the bathroom, than not only enter said bathroom, but go down to the Chamber. Ok, Ginny admitted. It didn't really make sense. But she knew deep inside if she faced the reason of her illogical feelings, it would be considerably easier to change her mind.

After a minute of thought, very tense for Ginny, her boyfriend nodded decisively:

\- Ok, we'll do it.

Now, an hour later, considerably very soon after her decision, but agreed by both as a rare chance to walk the empty corridors, Ginny wasn't sure at all. Her legs almost trembled to run back from their own accord but Harry's hand kept her in place.

Slowly, or so it seemed to Ginny, they entered the bathroom. No major difference from any other bathroom at Hogwarts, really, except it's unused state. People at Hogwarts still seemed to have some kind of prejudice against it, which was fine by Ginny.

Harry hissed something he remembered Ron saying, since he didn't really speak Parseltongue anymore. Still, Ginny's hair stood on end.

\- You alright? – he asked, with a squeeze of their joined hands.

\- Yeah. – Ginny cleared her throat and slowed her breathing, which she just now realized was accelerated.

So focused was she on putting herself together and answering Harry, Ginny didn't pay attention to the moving stones and loud noise. One of the parts she was most scared of, one of the few she remembered.

\- How do you wanna do this? – Harry's voice reached her. – You go first?

\- No, you.

He nodded and, with a reassuring smile, entered the tunnel. She heard the long noise of someone sliding and almost lost the will not to yell for him. But with a thump, he arrived underground and yelled.

\- You can come, love. I'm right here.

So she mustered all her courage and with shaking hands, followed him. This time she didn't stop herself from screaming. All the other times Ginny went through this slide, she was in Riddle's power and didn't remember anything. The tunnel was so long, her thoughts took over. "I wanna go back!". "What am I doing here?" Just as she was almost in a full panic attack, Ginny closed her eyes. What came to her mind was nothing she expected.

A snowy day. White hills. Children's laughter. She was nine and her father had taken the whole family to ride the sleight near Ottery St. Catchpole. " Hold on tight, Ginbug!". Her father said as they went down the hill.

\- Gin?

She opened her eyes to green worried ones, but then a big grin took her boyfriend's face and he extended a hand.

\- You did it. We're here. – Harry said.

And they were. The place came to her mind as a distant memory. And as they walked and she faced it straight on, it wasn't as scary as she thought it would be. That is, apart from the creepy statue of Slytherin. But she was already walking ahead of Harry, feeling free and admiring the architecture when she tripped and almost fell.

Harry had been trying to warn her, it seemed, because he was looking at her alarmed. And as she looked down, there was a huge skeleton of a snake.

Ginny recoiled rapidly, until she was against the opposite wall. Her eyes only seeing the real snake, dead with a missing teeth. Young Harry almost passed out beside her.

She closed her eyes, to try and remember the sleigh scene again. But to no avail. The snake in her mind seemed even bigger than this one, her yellow eyes accusing. All her fault. She vaguely realized she was crying ang gasping.

Suddenly, she felt, with her eyes still closed. Harry sitting beside her and pulling her close.

\- Remember the sunlit day our there, love. – He said in her ear. – That's the real thing.

The image of them both sitting tight together came automatically to her mind. The birds chirping. The blue sky. It all took the place of the dark ceiling and rotting snake.

She opened her eyes and saw the most beautiful green ones. A smile lit her face as she regained control of herself. She had done it. Ginny was in the Chamber Of Secrets sitting in Harry's lap. Not as a frightened little girl anymore, but as a brave woman.

\- I love you. – He whispered.

This wasn't a memory. It was real. And she wouldn't have it any other way.


	6. Part6:Harry

**A/N:** Hi guys!! I know it's been a _long_ time since I updated. I'm sorry for those of you who wanted to read more. I've just been involved with my other fic and wasn't having solid ideas for this one.

This fic is very important to me, though. It's even therapeutic when dealing with my own anxiety. And I hope reading it has the same effect for you, even more in this time of quarantine when I know the anxiety levels are very high. I hope you're doing well.

 **This chapter will talk about drinking, but it isn't something recommended for anyone as a way of dealing with anxiety and should always be done with moderation.**

And also, I wanted to say that, yes, this is a Harry chapter again, but that doesn't mean I'm not gonna write about other characters I haven't written about. It was just the one that came to my mind. If you have any character you'd like to read about, feel free to give me ideas as well! Finally, I'd like to say this was partly inspired by a song, which I love. I'm gonna leave the name here, so you can listen to it if you want, and maybe fall in love with it too! Have a good read!

 **Song:** Next to me – by Imagine Dragons.

* * *

Harry stood near his friends. All of the guys he spent six years in Hogwarts sharing a dorm with. He was just in the periphery, though. Ron, Seamus and Neville were trying to make Dean drink a crazy concoction of alcohol Seamus had created.

Harry looked down at his empty glass. He'd already drank two full of Firewhiskey.

\- Hey! – he said to the group. They turned around, a bit surprised to hear his voice He hadn't been the most talkative guy this evening. And they noticed it too. But there wasn't an alternative. It was Seamus' 21 birthday, there was this huge party going on. He couldn't have stayed home. Even though there were a lot of other places he would've preferred to be. Ones where Ginny was too.

\- Give me this. – he pointed to the drink. Seamus gave it to him hesitantly.

Harry drank it all in one go. The taste was awful. In the mix of different drinks he just felt a lingering bitterness. It reminded him of the taste in his mouth that morning at work.

They all laughed when they saw the empty glass. Seamus looked impressed.

\- Mate! – Ron exclaimed. - Isn't this your third glass? You never drink more than two.

He was right. Harry never likes to push his limits when it came to drinking. He liked to be alert at all times. This night he didn't care though. The looks of the pair of children they found in that monster's house, trembling in the after effects of the Cruciatus, looking in fear at their own father, didn't leave his mind. And the only one that could chase it away wasn't here.

Ginny was in a friendly game away with the Harpies. He only managed to floo call her briefly at noon. She noticed something was wrong but couldn't exactly leave her team. And he wouldn't ask her either.

That left him with the alcohol as the only thing that could make the images a little blurry, at least. Underneath all that, he was seething with anger and guilt.

\- Harry, what do you say? Let's play some beer pong? Seam is hooked in it since I taught you all the last party. I bet we could make at least three tables! – Dean called.

\- I don't think so. – while the idea of drinking sounded quite appealing to Harry, playing wasn't as much.

\- Come on, mate! We're all gonna play it. – Neville put a hand on his shoulder.

Harry brushed it off:

\- I told you I don't want it! – he growled.

The guys looked at him cautiously. Neville looked hurt. They all turned their back to him and started calling more people to join them. All except one. The only one of them who had no problem calling him on his bullshit.

\- What's your problem, Harry? – Ron hissed. - You've been grumpy all night. Hermione and I keep asking you if something is wrong and you won't tell us anything!

Harry frowned and turned away from him, shrugging.

\- I wish my sister was here. – Ron huffed and left him alone. Harry agreed.

He spent some moments watching almost everyone arranging the tables to start playing. All the DA members were here. They all made sure to be here to Seamus' party. His irish friend had rented a kind of Muggle night club/bar exclusively for them. It was supposed to be a fun reunion for all of them. But Harry wasn't in the mood. And Ginny wasn't here.

After moving to the bar again and starting filling his glass with another dose of Firewhiskey, Parvati Patil approached him.

\- Hi Harry, how are you?

\- Fine. – he lied and looked at her vaguely.

\- I just wanted to tell you, my little cousin is starting Auror training next year! He's super excited!

\- Huh, I wouldn't be that excited if I were him. – Harry huffed.

Parvati frowned:

\- Why not? I thought the department was being completely reformed, and that you were helping with it.

\- Yeah...well, maybe people shouldn't put that much on my shoulders. He's gonna start like all of us. Positive, eager to make a change. And then you realize the system can't actually take care of everything. There are huge flaws and the changes... – Harry laughed sarcastically. – It takes ages to get anything approved. There are a bunch of conservative arses there anyway...

\- Excuse me. – Hermione arrived suddenly, taking Harry away from Parvati. - I'm sorry, Parvati. He's had a bit too much to drink tonight. I'll take him off your back now.

She led him a little way down the counter.

\- What are you doing! – Hermione hissed. – Ron told me you're being a complete jerk to everyone!

Harry shrugged and downed his glass.

\- And stop drinking! – Hermione took the glass away from his hand. – You are starting to smell like Firewhiskey.

She rolled her eyes and continued:

\- Look, Harry, I don't know what happened to you at work, but, if you refuse to tell us, we can't help you at all. And you shouldn't take it out on us or your other friends! Much less on drinking! I already offered to take you home if you want.

\- It's Seamus birthday! – Harry said stubbornly.

\- Then act like you're enjoying it, or keep it to yourself.

\- I am trying to keep it to myself. – Harry grumbled as Hermione joined the party. He felt this cheeks starting to feel warm with shame, though.

Harry leant on the counter. He was wishing so much that they had taken those kids out of that house sooner. The Aurors had been warned about a disturbance at the house in the south of London three days ago. Harry was willing to barge in there immediately. The concerned neighbor had told them she heard children's cries. It was always a sore point with Harry and the childhood he had. The department got in the way, though. They insisted on building a case and emitting a searching warrant first. That took three fucking days! And the kids were at the mercy of that disgusting man. Harry brought his face to his hands and took a deep breath.

\- So, should we go home and then you tell me about what has gotten to you so much at work? – the voice he was crazy to hear asked him, accompained seconds later by that sweet floral smell.

Harry took his head out of his hands and looked at the redhead woman, standing next to him and raising a red eyebrow. _His redhead._

Harry took her hand and clung to it all the way to the door.

\- Oh, and later, you're going to apologize to all the people you've been a jerk to, including Seamus. – he only nodded in response. – Honestly, Potter. Drinking? It even looks like you're new to this.

Harry hadn't felt this light all night.


End file.
